English Version | “There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women” - Madeleine Albright

The Queen of England sends messages to the secret service through her handbag. Madeleine Albright used jewelry as a diplomatic tool. Rihanna and Megan Thee Stallion influence the direction of trends and the very perception of fashion — which, with them, becomes fun, provocative and, above all, empowering. All these women have something in common: their looks are worth a thousand words.

Artwork by Mariana Matos
Artwork by Mariana Matos

One of its most historic appearances dates back to 1970, when Elizabeth II met with then President of the United States, Richard Nixon, and his wife, Pat Nixon. From that meeting, what remained in the retina was not the orange look chosen by the monarch, but a small, black patent handbag with a short strap and metal clasp — which would be present 30 years later when the Queen received Bill and Hillary Clinton at Buckingham Palace — courtesy of British brand Launer. Discreet and elegant, it stands out in the colorful looks normally appreciated by Elizabeth II, giving them a touch of sobriety. It has been so for 50 years, since the Queen Mother bought the first wallet by the brand and gave it to her daughter. Currently Buckingham Palace will host about 200 pieces of the two most celebrated models, Traviata and Royale. However, this is not the only fact that makes its choice particularly relevant. According to several historians and royalty experts, the handbag is much more than a simple (and innocent) accessory: it is used to send messages to the secret service agents accompanying Elizabeth II. Hugo Vickers, royal biographer, explained to People magazine that the Queen passes her purse from one hand to the other when she is ready to end a conversation. When, at an event, she places it on the table, that means she is ready to leave. If she puts her purse down on the floor her bodyguards know what to do — the monarch is not enjoying the interaction and “wants to be rescued.” Agents act on these codes and therefore follow their own, pre-established rules. Example: they approach Elizabeth II and say something like “Your Majesty, the Archbishop of Canterbury has an urgent need to speak with you,” politely removing her from the scene. Vickers also stressed that the monarch likes to wear her purse on her left arm so that she can greet her subjects with her right hand, and that it is not the only way to pass coded messages: when Elizabeth II twirls the ring on her finger, the accompanying staff learns that she is particularly eager to turn her back on the interlocutor. All without uttering a single word. If you have ever wondered why the Queen can't even put her purse down at home — despite being the most powerful woman in the world — this is the answer. It's all a matter of tricks.

It became known as the “pin diplomacy”, because of the effectiveness with which a small object stuck to a lapel could say a thousand and one things without the interlocutor having to use words. And it turns out it all started with a snake. In 1993 Madeleine Albright was the US Ambassador to the UN. After the Gulf War, when the US was trying to pass tougher sanctions against Iraq, the Iraqi press compared her to an “unparalleled serpent.” Albright had the perfect piece to counter the charge: a gold pin in the shape of a snake. When reporters asked her about the accessory, she flashed a smile and inwardly felt challenged. “I have always preferred jewelry to clothes, but it had never occurred to me that a pin could also be used as a diplomatic symbol until that exact moment. So I started shopping for more.” she recounted years later. The paraphernalia of subliminal messages Albright would share throughout her foray onto the world stage is countless. “I was the only woman on the Security Council, and I decided to get some more costume jewelry. On good days, I wore flowers and butterflies and balloons, and on bad days, all kinds of bugs and carnivorous animals. I saw it as an additional way of expressing what I was saying, a visual way to deliver a message.” When she became Secretary of State in 1997, she relied on the symbolism of these seemingly defenseless pins to meet with some of the world's most powerful leaders. She used a bee to meet with Yasser Arafat, because “bees sting and I needed to send a sharp message,” she acknowledged. And not even with Vladimir Putin, who she understood to be dangerous earlier than many analysts, did she back down. Quite the contrary: “When I went to Russia with President Bill Clinton for a summit, I wore a pin with the hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no evil monkeys, because the Russians never would talk about what was really going on during their conflict with Chechnya”, she told Smithosian Magazine in June 2010 about the exhibition Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection. “President Vladimir Putin asked why I was wearing those monkeys. I said, because of your Chechnya policy. He was not amused. I probably went too far.” When she found out that the Russians had bugged a room in the State Department, she decided to respond to the letter. “The next time I saw the Russians, I wore this huge bug. They got the message”, she said. “I was representing the United States, so it was important that I looked dignified, but I also loved dressing like a woman, and the pins helped inject humor, personality, and [get] messages across in very serious times. And, I must admit, I had a lot of fun with it. Especially trying to figure out how well my message was received.” After abandoning her political career, Albright continued to send out messages. For an August 2019 appearance on CNN, she chose a Statue of Liberty brooche to comment on the ultra-conservative immigration policy of the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ken Cuccinelli. Her “fetish” has made school. Other women have made use of the “pin diplomacy” to quietly comment on historical moments — like Nancy Pelosi (notably during Donald Trump's impeachment), Lady Gaga (at Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony) or... the Queen of England. In 2018, during the then President's visit to the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II's outfit caused a buzz (as it always does, admittedly). In this case the buzz was created because of a flower-shaped accessory, a design made in the USA in the 1950s, which had been given to her by the Obamas in 2011. With this choice, the monarch made clear her position in the guerrilla war between Trump and his most prominent political enemy. The death of Madeleine Albright in March 2022 means the end of an era.

The future, however, is assured. Whether in politics or entertainment, the subtle, powerful, and eminently feminine side of “saying a thousand and one things without opening your mouth” has major heiresses. Rihanna, for instance, all she has to do is walk out on the street wearing a Chanel coat from the fall/winter 1996 collection for the vintage market to collapse: the model is almost impossible to find, and never for less than 25,000 euros, but that doesn't mean that half the planet doesn't try to replicate the vintage look and suddenly decide that a pink kispo with gold buttons is the best way to announce a pregnancy. Or that a black, transparent négligé, showing a prominent pregnant belly, is the perfect option to attend a Paris Fashion Week show. Note that the Diamonds singer did not make any kind of statement at these appearances — as, incidentally, is her habit. It was only her presence that spoke. Hence, several publications are already wondering about the impact of her style on the maternity industry. In mid-March, the American edition of Vogue published an article asking precisely this question: Is Rihanna Changing Pregnancy Style Forever? Just as the artist subverts the paradigms associated with pregnancy, Iris Apfel defies the laws of aging. With her cheerful and irreverent (or rather, unparalleled) style, the American follows the maxim “more is more and less is a bore”, mixing colors, patterns and textures in a bold and addictive way. The round black mass spectacles (size XL) are one of his trademark images, part of her individualism and infectious personality. At 100 years old, Apfel is the ultimate proof that fashion can be a powerful vehicle of communication — and that it is at the service of all who want to wear it, from the most classy to the most exuberant.

Hours after Megan Thee Stallion appeared on the red carpet of the 2022 Grammys wearing a leopard print Roberto Cavalli dress, searches for “leopard print dress” increased by 426% in the UK and about five percent in the rest of the world — further proof that as well as being one of the most successful rappers in history, Megan can be just as influential with her fashion choices, no matter how unexpected or risky. Something similar happened in February 2000, when Jennifer Lopez chose a Versace dress to attend the Grammy ceremony and, unknowingly, changed the Internet forever. The “jungle dress”, as it became known, attracted millions of internet users to Google, curious to see images of the occasion. But the search engine's functionalities were much narrower than they are today, making it almost impossible to find pictures quickly. It was this “vast untapped potential” that eventually led to Google Images in 2001, as confirmed years later by by then Google CEO Eric Schmidt: “At the time, it was the most popular search query we had ever seen, there was just no way to give users exactly what they wanted: JLo wearing that dress. So Google Images was born.” If all these fait-divers serve any purpose, let it be to remind us that women, all women, have an immense capacity to influence the way the world is constructed, painted, dressed. More often than not, their presence is worth a thousand words. Whether they are at Buckingham or in Hollywood. 

Translated from the original on The Quote Issue, published in April 2022. For full credits and stories, check the print version.